"Serbs should boycott Kosovo elections"

The Pristina City Assembly councilors, temporarily relocated to Gracanica, have called on Serbs in the province to boycott the November 15 elections. The local elections are being organized by the Kosovo Albanian authorities. "Serbs should boycott Kosovo elections" The councilors, who met on Thursday, also elected Nebojsa Nikolic of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) as the new mayor. The Pristina City Assembly, financed by the Serbian government, believes that the new local institutions under the patronage of the Kosovo government would first expel state institutions from their seats, and then leave thousands of workers without their jobs. Serb Radical Party (SRS) councilors requested penalties to be introduced for any Serb paid by the government in Belgrade who might take part in the elections. Assembly members from the Kosovo Serb enclave of Gracanica and the surrounding villages think that participation in the November 15 ballot would directly contribute to the canceling of the existing Serb local autonomy. Assurances coming from some Serb organizations and local parties that voting in the Kosovo elections would strengthen the Serbian state in Kosovo is seen as nothing but demagoguery by the SNS, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), the Democratic Party (DS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and other parties. Our reporter says that both whose who advocate participation in elections and those calling for their boycott can be expected to continue persuading Serbs in Gracanica right until November 15. The new mayor of Pristina, Nebojsa Nikolic, said that he would not cooperate with the municipality president elected in the elections organized by the Kosovo institutions. The Pristina Assembly councilors called upon the Serbian president, the government, the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija and other institutions to once again "unequivocally and energetically" state that they are against these elections, and warn about the possible consequences.

"Serbs should boycott Kosovo elections"

The councilors, who met on Thursday, also elected Nebojša Nikolić of the Serb Progressive Party (SNS) as the new mayor.

The Priština City Assembly, financed by the Serbian government, believes that the new local institutions under the patronage of the Kosovo government would first expel state institutions from their seats, and then leave thousands of workers without their jobs.

Serb Radical Party (SRS) councilors requested penalties to be introduced for any Serb paid by the government in Belgrade who might take part in the elections.

Assembly members from the Kosovo Serb enclave of Gračanica and the surrounding villages think that participation in the November 15 ballot would directly contribute to the canceling of the existing Serb local autonomy.

Assurances coming from some Serb organizations and local parties that voting in the Kosovo elections would strengthen the Serbian state in Kosovo is seen as nothing but demagoguery by the SNS, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), the Democratic Party (DS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and other parties.

Our reporter says that both whose who advocate participation in elections and those calling for their boycott can be expected to continue persuading Serbs in Gračanica right until November 15.

The new mayor of Priština, Nebojša Nikolić, said that he would not cooperate with the municipality president elected in the elections organized by the Kosovo institutions.

The Priština Assembly councilors called upon the Serbian president, the government, the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija and other institutions to once again "unequivocally and energetically" state that they are against these elections, and warn about the possible consequences.